{"id":785827,"date":"2026-08-22T23:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T23:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/785827\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T23:22:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T23:22:01","slug":"dodgers-still-evaluating-roles-for-shohei-ohtani-edwin-diaz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/785827\/","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers still evaluating roles for Shohei Ohtani, Edwin D\u00edaz"},"content":{"rendered":"

With five weeks to go in the regular season, the Dodgers know they\u2019ll eventually get Shohei Ohtani<\/a> and Edwin D\u00edaz back as healthy<\/a> members of their stretch-run pitching staff.<\/p>\n

But with the playoffs nearing<\/a> and the team\u2019s roster still molding into shape, the exact role each right-hander will fill remains unclear \u2013\u2013 leaving both with something to prove as they progress through their recoveries over the next several weeks.<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws live batting practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (2026 Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

Saturday was a big day for Ohtani, who has been sidelined as a pitcher since early July because of a lingering knee injury, and D\u00edaz, who last week went on the injured list for the second time this season because of what the team described as neck inflammation.<\/p>\n

Before the Dodgers\u2019 game against the Pirates, D\u00edaz threw his first bullpen session since his neck issue popped up on Monday. Ohtani, meanwhile, threw a simulated 30-pitch session of live batting practice against Will Smith, marking the first time he has faced hitters since his most recent pitching start on July 3.<\/p>\n

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Shohei Ohtani, Edwin Diaz check off important boxes<\/p>\n

Those were important boxes for both pitchers to check off. They also provided further clarity on when they might be ready to return. Manager Dave Roberts said D\u00edaz could be activated as soon as he\u2019s eligible at the beginning of September. <\/p>\n

Ohtani, meanwhile, will likely throw one more live BP before rejoining the Dodgers\u2019 rotation, at which point he will get stretched back out inning-by-inning over each outing he makes the rest of the year.<\/p>\n

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz warms up before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, August 16, 2026. (This asset \u2013 including all text, audio and imagery \u2013 is provided by Imagn Images. Reuters Connec) IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything from the coaches was really positive,\u201d Roberts relayed when asked about Ohtani\u2019s live BP session. \u201cWe\u2019re getting there. Today was a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is not known for now, however, is how Ohtani and D\u00edaz will be used once the two-time defending champions begin finalizing their roster for another postseason push.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Roberts left the door open to numerous possibilities, stopping well short of guaranteeing D\u00edaz would return to the closer\u2019s role or that Ohtani would make traditional, full-length starts in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still got a ways to get there,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

D\u00edaz\u2019s situation is the simpler one.<\/p>\n

After signing a $69 million contract this offseason, the three-time Reliever of the Year Award winner has been completely ineffective in his debut season with the club, suffering an 11.85 ERA in just 16 outings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Edwin Diaz works against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) AP Photo\/David Zalubowski<\/p>\n

Injuries, of course, have been a significant impediment. The 32-year-old had already missed three months following a procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow in April. Now, he is facing at least several more weeks out because of discomfort he felt in his neck recently.<\/p>\n

However, this IL stint is serving a dual purpose for the right-hander, as Roberts acknowledged Saturday, giving D\u00edaz a chance to also work through mechanical flaws the team had identified before his neck flared up on him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sensation and feeling that he had in his neck is real,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBut I also do think that going through some things with the pitching guys and the body mechanics guys, and getting to let that have a chance to kind of take, I think is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last time D\u00edaz returned from the IL, he was slotted straight back into his customary ninth-inning role.<\/p>\n

But after converting just 7 of 11 save opportunities this year, D\u00edaz will now have to reestablish himself as a trustworthy, high-leverage option ahead of October.<\/p>\n

According to Roberts, the team\u2019s plan revolves around \u201cputting him in some softer landing situations to get the confidence, to get the feel and the trust of executing pitches, getting major league hitters out, and then at that point in time we\u2019ll go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani\u2019s playoff usage more complex<\/p>\n

Deciding on Ohtani\u2019s usage will be a more complex process for the Dodgers, thanks to both the taxing nature of the two-way star\u2019s overall workload, and the fact that \u2014 barring any unforeseen setbacks \u2014 the team will have four other All-Star starting pitching options to turn to in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws live batting practice before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (2026 Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

For now, Roberts said the team\u2019s \u201cgoal\u201d is to get Ohtani stretched back out for full-length starts \u2014 like he was at the start of the season, when he went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 outings.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d the skipper added, \u201cthe most important is how he\u2019s feeling and how we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI could sit here and say, \u2018Yeah, [we want him pitching] six innings when we start the postseason,\u2019\u201d Roberts continued. \u201cBut he\u2019s still got to do the work and get there. He\u2019s got to pass some tests and markers.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other option would be to manage Ohtani\u2019s pitching workload more conservatively in October \u2014 which could be beneficial for his bat \u2014 and perhaps use him as more of a glorified opener (capable of pitching a handful of innings at the beginning of games) when the need arises.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ohtani seemed to acknowledge such uncertainties last week, saying in Japanese that \u201cwe have a lot of starters, and I think it\u2019s a situation where you don\u2019t know who will start [in the playoffs].\u201d<\/p>\n

Much could depend on how he pitches once he makes his return to the Dodgers\u2019 rotation, as it would likely take at least a month for him to get fully built back up.<\/p>\n

For now, these are good problems for the Dodgers to have.<\/p>\n

It means Ohtani and Diaz are on track to return. That the team is confident in what they could produce despite their recent injury problems. And that they have enough other options right now to not need to overly rely on either.<\/p>\n

Still, they are also questions that will nonetheless need to be answered, giving Ohtani and D\u00edaz more work to do as they near their returns to the pitching staff.<\/p>\n

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